Fight trichomoniasis: Simple steps to actually prevent this disease

Trichomoniasis, or Trich for short, is not just a disease; it’s a severe economic problem for cattle producers. It impacts your bottom line significantly, leading to a reduced calf crop and lower weaning weights. This disease can render your breeding cows infertile and potentially extend your breeding season, causing substantial financial losses.

But here’s the good news: you, as a cattle producer, have the power to prevent Trichomoniasis from wreaking havoc in your herd. By taking proactive steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of this disease. Here are some key measures you should consider:

What is Trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is a venereal disease caused by an organism. This organism, Tritrichomonas fetus, can be found in the reproductive tracts of infected cows and bulls. While it can be found in both, it’s important to note that the bull is the primary carrier of this disease. Think of this like an STD for cattle.

Transmission occurs when the infected bull breeds with the cows in the herd-like I said, an STD. Once a cow has been infected, it will cause it to go infertile. If she is already bred when she gets infected, it can cause her to abort any fetus she may have. Once this disease infects them, it has been known to stay in their system for a certain amount of time. Infertility can last for almost five months. Cows exposed to Trich cannot be considered safe in calf until they are at least 120 days pregnant. Open cows cannot be regarded as free of this infection until they have had 90 days of sexual rest.

What it does

During breeding, organisms on the surface of the infected bull’s penis will be left in the vagina. There, they will then multiply and invade the uterus, causing an infection. Cows can still conceive for the disease to develop during the first couple of weeks. Once the organism has caused sufficient damage to the lining of the reproductive tract, the cow will miscarry or abort.

The problem with this disease is that an infected bull will not show any visible symptoms. Sometimes, an infected cow will have some discharge from its reproductive organs, but not always. The only real visible sign that you have a Trich infection is when some of your cows suddenly abort their pregnancies.

Other than that, the only way to know for sure is to have your veterinarian run a test specifically for this disease. This disease is one of those cases where it is more important to know for sure before you turn the bull out. Otherwise, it will be very costly for you because of a lower calf crop than you usually have.

Economic costs of Trich

Trichomoniasis, as I mentioned earlier, can lead to infertility in cows and early embryonic death for any calf she may be carrying. This reproduction reduction, in turn, can significantly reduce the number of calves available for sale, thereby impacting your revenue. The economic implications of this disease are not to be taken lightly.

Now you may be wondering, “Just how many calves?“. According to a paper written by Washington State, transmission rates can be as high as 42% of your herd—this 42%, or almost half, of your calf crop…. gone just like that. I don’t know about you, but having half as many calves can be a real problem to deal with.

As I mentioned earlier, infertility can last for a long time, five months. An infected cow can pass the organism through its system. It would be best to separate the cow from the bull for 120 to 150 days. A drawback to this is that although the cow can get rid of the disease, its immune system will weaken once the cow is infected. Roughly translated, this means that the cow can more easily get it the next time.

Since the bull carries this disease, you will have to replace the bull if you do have an infection. Also, since the bull is infected, you will likely have to sell it to the slaughterhouse because not many people will want a bull that has had Trich.

Treatment and Prevention of Trichomoniasis

Unfortunately, I will have to start with some bad news: From my research, there is no approved treatment for a cow infected with Trich. Once it has entered your herd, your only option is to sell the infected cow and bull. Depending on the number of infected animals, this can become very expensive.

Though there may not be any treatment, there are steps that you can take to prevent this disease from even showing up in the first place.

Prevention Options

• Purchase virgin bulls if possible.
• If buying a virgin bull is not possible, there is still something that you can do. Before you purchase the bull, have it tested by a veterinarian. The typical breeding soundness exam does not include this, so you must specifically ask for the test. Most of your reputable seed stock producers will include this test. But it is always good to ask if not mentioned. A good time to do this test is while you are conducting the breeding soundness exam. I talk more about the importance of this exam in “Don’t Forget the Bull.”
• A good strategy all around, but especially when preventing Trich from spreading to your herd, is to keep your fences in good condition. Having good fences will prevent any stray bull from getting in with your herd and possibly getting infected.
• Maintain good records on your herd. Keeping good records is a good strategy anyway, but it will help you determine if the disease is present in your herd. Knowing what your average calf crop percentage looks like will aid you in telling if there is a problem or not. If you have an extremely lower than the usual amount, it may be a sign of Trich.
• Always have a defined breeding season and pre-check your cows on time. Pre-checking is good to do anyway to have a more uniform calf crop come sale time. However, checking your cows on time after breeding season will let you know if there is a problem. You must cull and sell if you suspect it may be in your herd.

Is a Trichomoniasis vaccine possible?

While there may not be a cure for Trichomoniasis, a vaccine is available that can aid in its control and prevention. This vaccine is effective in cows that may be infected, but it does not cure bulls carrying the disease. The vaccine requires two doses, administered one month apart. It’s important to note that the vaccine is not a substitute for other prevention methods. Still, it can be a valuable tool in your herd management strategy.

As a disclaimer, I must warn you that the vaccine still has not been shown to be completely effective. If your herd is infected, getting rid of infected animals may be your only option.